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Kim Jong Il is Dead: Will Life Get Better for Families in North Korea?
Kim Jong Il
There was big news announced on the North Korean state television on Monday. It was reported that the “Dear Leader” Kim Jong Il had died.
Kim Jong Il had been a lightening rod of controversy during his 17 years of power. He inherited the job from his father, and he ruled the country with an iron fist and scared the world with his quest being an for nuclear powerhouse. Kim Jong Il reportedly had diabetes and also had suffered from heart disease. According to the state media alert he died due to a heart ailment while on a train due to “great mental and physical strain” on Saturday during a “high intensity field inspection.” He was 69.
But while he enjoyed his cigars, cognac and fine dining and the citizens of the city performed amazing feats of synchronicity. Life in North Korea is reportedly tough with many families and children living in poverty…
Huffington Post reported last month that, “An ‘unacceptable’ number of children under 5 are malnourished, U.N. humanitarian chief Valerie Amos warned after a recent visit.”
What resources the country did have were being used to refurbish and update the capital in anticipation for the 100 birthday celebration of birth of Kim Il Sung (Kim Jong Il’s father and ex-leader of North Korea). And the families in the country – outside of the capital – have been quietly suffering. There was destructive weather that ruined many of their crops and no aid has come to the poor and starving in North Korea because of the red tape involved due to Kim Jong Il’s nuclear ambitions.
So the big question, with the death of Kim Jong Il change things? Will his son follow in his footsteps or will positive changes be made?
And it’s not just the children of North Korea whose futures are at stake. Kim Jong Il had wanted to be a nuclear powerhouse which was a threat felt by many countries especially China. Knowing that North Korea had weapons of mass destruction was probably something that scared many a child and family.
Do you think the death of Kim Jong Il will make a difference for the people of North Korea and the world?
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